IO-Link: Did You Know?

Did you know that IO-Link allows automatic parameter assignment by the PLC?

With IO-Link, the parameter assignment of the devices is stored in the higher-level automation system and is transferred automatically if a device is replaced. Moreover, the PLC can access, read, and write any parameters during operation. This is necessary, for example, when a device has to be replaced or reinitialized. At a change of format or recipe, parameter reassignment of entire device groups is also possible with the help of the automatic parameter assignment, thereby reducing setup times drastically.

A key aspect for the user is that no additional or new tools are needed for this. The same long-familiar function blocks of the PLC manufacturer are used. To reduce the programming effort for this to a minimum, IO-Link device manufacturers also provide function blocks, which are available for free download. The user thus no longer has to know the indices, data type, or value ranges of the parameters. Rather, they only have to specify the address of the IO-Link master and the port to which the IO-Link device is attached. These function blocks have yet another advantage: They allow the data of all IO-Link devices in a system to be kept in the PLC and the parameter assignment to be restored in case of need.